Case Number 23677: Small Claims Court

Separating Twins

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All Rise...

Judge David Johnson is getting all of his surgeries done in Australia from now on, minimally-invasive or not.

The Charge

Whoa.

The Case

You probably remember this story. Conjoined twin girls from Bangladesh,
attached at the head, abandoned at a Bangladesh orphanage, and taken in by a
compassionate aid worker from Australia. What to do? Get them healthy enough to
endure a landmark separation surgery that holds a slim chance for survival,
but—if successful—would make history.

Yeah, I have to spoil it: Both kids survived.

The path to survival is riveting stuff and this NOVA documentary
captures all the science and human drama that engulfed the journey. And there is
plenty of both to be found here.

The Science In a word: amazing. The jaw-dropping series of
surgeries—a true marathon of operations—stands tall as one of the
great achievements in medical history. NOVA applies its academic chops to
the procedures and goes in depth about everything, from how the twins ended up
conjoined in the first place, to the staggering network of arteries, veins, and
brain geography that had to be navigated and then rerouted to ensure survival.
Fantastic stuff.

The Drama The diagrams, charts, and biology are impressive, but
it takes sentimentality to place the science in perspective. I defy you to look
at these two girls, barely healthy, glued to each other in a painfully awkward
position, and not feel it in your guts. Separating Twins captures some
hard-hitting reactions from their adoptive mother, assorted loved ones, and
supporters. Makes you pull for the surgical team all the more. A very solid
offering from wire to wire, one that appeals to both the heart and the head.

The disc is adequate: standard definition 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen,
Dolby 2.0 stereo, no extras. The lack of bonus content is a missed
opportunity.